Steering-gear.



No. 703,552. Patented July I, I902.

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STEERING GEAR.

(Application filed July 19, 1901.) (No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

WALTER A. CROWDUS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STEERING-GEAR.-

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No- 7 dat y 1902- Application filed July 19, 1901. Seriall lor 68 ,901. (No model.)

To all whmn it nuty concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER A. (JRowDUs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented an Improved Steering-Gear Look, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to steering gears or mechanisms, and relates particularly to steering-gears for motor-vehicles.

, A primary object of the invention is to provide means, in combination with the steeringgear of a motor-vehicle, for lockin g said steering-gear in any desired adjustment, whereby the vehicle can be steered more steadily than where the steering-handle alone is relied upon, particularly when passing over streets paved with cobble-stones or the like.

To this end the invention consists of a locking-bolt applied to the steeringgear and preferably adapted to be thrown to lock the steering-gear by means of the steering-handle.

The invention also consists of the various other features, combinations of features,'and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings a steeringgear-locking device of my invention is fully illustrated.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a steerin g-gear-locking device of my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, the handle being removed; and Fig. 3 is atop plan view, partly in section, of the steering-handle.

As regards its general features the steeringgear shown is'of the general type heretofore patented to me by United States Letters Patent No. 598,314, dated February 1, 1898, said steering-gear being combinedwith a speedregulating device, the vehicle being guided by lateral movement of said handle and its speed regulated by rotary movement thereof. The speed-regulating mechanism, however, forms no part of the present invention and is merely shown incidentally,- the following description being limited to the steering-gear.

Referring, then, to the drawings, A designates the steering-post, which is revolubly mounted in a bracket-A, formed on a head A secured to the upper end of a casing A secured in fixed position upon the vehicleframe, preferably to the vehicle-body. (Not shown.) The lower end of the steering-post 'A is connected to the pivoted front wheels of the vehicle in any suitable or approved manner, so that rotation thereof will impart similar pivotal movement to said wheels about substantially vertical axes.

The steering-handle A is pivoted to a head A", secured to the upper end of the steeringpost A in such manner that lateral movement of said steering-handle A will impart rotary movementtosaidsteering-postA. Asshown,

said steering-handle A is tubular, and the rotary. speed regulating rod or. shaft A is mounted inside thereof, the hand-grip A being secured to the end of said rod A so that and concentric with the steering-post A.

Mounted so as to be longitudinally movable in suitable bearings in a boss B on the head A directly beneath the steering-handle A is a lock-bolt B whieh registers with the groove b and is adapted to be depressed into engagement with said groove by depressing the steering-handle A In the preferable construction shown the grooveb and the head of the lock-bolt B are correspondingly tapered, so that depressing said lock-bolt will effect a strong frictional engagement between said lock-bolt and the sides of said slot, which will effectually prevent rotation of the steering-post, and thus vibration of thewhe'els controlled thereby and relieving the'hand of the operator from all jar due thereto. In the preferable construction shown, also, the lock-bolt B is maintained normally retracted. by means of a spring I), applied thereto. As shown, said spring I) is inserted between the end of arecess or chamber formed in the upper end of the boss B and a head or cap I), removably secured to the upper end of the lock-bolt B As shown, also, the head or cap 12 is fitted to the recess or chamber in the boss B, thus forming a guide for the upper end of said lockbolt.

With the described construction it is obvious that lateral movement of the steering-lever A will change the direction of motion of the vehicle; also, that the steering-post A may be locked in any desired position by depressing the end of the steering-lever A to force the lock-bolt B into engagement with the groove b. When it is desired to release the lock bolt E the steering lever A is raised, whereupon the spring Z) will at once retract the lock-bolt B or in case said spring is not sufliciently strong to break the frictional engagement between the lock-bolt B and the sides of the groove Z) this can be effected by moving the steering-lever A laterally, which will operate to break the engagement of said lock bolt with said groove, whereupon said spring will at once retract said bolt.

I claim- In a steering-gear, the combination with a steering-post, of a lock-bolt carried thereby, a fixed support, a groove therein adapted to be engaged by said lock-bolt and means to advance said lock-bolt into engagement with said groove, substantially as described.

2. In a steering-gear, the combination with a steering-post, of a lock-bolt carried thereby, a fixed support, a groove therein adapted to be engaged by said lock-bolt, said groove and lock-bolt being correspondingly tapered, and means to advance said lock-boltinto engagement with said groove, substantially as described.

13. In a steering-gear, the combination with a steeri ngr-post, of a lock-bolt carried thereby, a fixed support, a groove formed therein adapted to be engaged by said lock-bolt, a spring applied to said lock-bolt adapted to maintain the same normally retracted and means to advance said lock-bolt into engagement with said groove, substantially as described.

4. In a steering-gear, the combination with a steering-post, of a lock-bolt carried thereby, a fixed support, a groove formed therein adapted to be engaged by said lock-bolt, said lock-bolt and groove being correspondingly tapered, a spring applied to said lock-bolt adapted to maintain the same normally retracted and means to advance said loclc-bolt into engagement with said groove, substantially as described.

5. In a steering-gear, the combination with a steering-post and a steering-lever pivoted thereto, of a lock-bolt carried by said steering-post beneath said steering-lever so as to be depressed thereby, a fixed support and a groove formed therein adapted to be engaged by said lock-bolt, substantially as described.

6. In a steering-gear, the combination with a steering-post and a steering-lever pivoted thereto, of a lock-bolt carried by said steering-post beneath said steering-lever so as to be depressedthereby, a fixed support and a groove formed therein adapted to be engaged by said lock-bolt, said lock-bolt and groove being correspondingly tapered, substantially as described.

7. In a steei'inggear, the combination with a steering-post and a steering-lever pivoted thereto, of a lock-bolt carried by said steering post beneath said steering lever and adapted to be depressed thereby, a fixed support, a groove therein adapted to be engaged by said lock-bolt and a spring applied to said lock-bolt adapted to maintain the same normally retracted, substantially as described.

8. In a steering-gear, the combination with a steering-post and a steering-lever pivoted thereto, of a lock-bolt carried by said steering post beneath said steering lever and adapted to be depressed thereby, a fixed support, a groove therein adapted to be engaged by said lock-bolt, said lock-bolt and groove being correspondingly tapered, and a spring applied to said lock-bolt adapted to maintain the same normally retracted, substantially as described.

9. In a steering-gear, the combination of a fixed support, a steering post revolubly mounted therein, a head on said steeringpost, a steering-lever pivoted to said head, a lock-bolt mounted in said head beneath said steering-lever and adapted to be depressed thereby, and a groove in the fixed support in which said steering-post is mounted adapted to be engaged by said lock-bolt, said lock-bolt and groove being correspondingly tapered, substantially asdescribed.

10. In a steering-gear, the combination of a fixed support, a steering post revolubly mounted therein, a head on said steeringpost, a steering-lever pivoted to said head, a lock-bolt mounted in said head beneath said steering-lever and adapted to be depressed thereby, a groove in the fixed support in which said steering-post is mounted adapted to be engaged by said lock-bolt, said lock-bolt and groove being correspondingly tapered, and a spring applied to said lock-bolt and adapted to maintain the same normally retracted, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aifix my signature, in presence of two subscribing Witnesses, this 16th day of July, A. D. 1901.

\VALTER A. GROIVDUS. lVitnesses:

JOHN V. Noncaoss, M. S. SOMEPNILLE. 

